West Antarctica

West Antarctica is a region of Antarctica largely covered by an ice sheet that sits atop an archipelago of mountainous islands. It is geologically distinct from East Antarctica, characterized by a younger, mobile belt that shows affinities with the South American Andes. While it's theorized that West Antarctica could be an oceanic island archipelago if the ice melted, its crustal thickness indicates it is not oceanic. This region is seismically quiet, though some seismic activity has been recorded. The Antarctic Treaty, along with its environmental protocol, prohibits mining and designates the continent as a natural reserve, making the exploitation of any mineral resources unlikely.123